In this realistic fiction novel, teenager Rakmen’s little sister died. His anger led him to nearly flunk out of high school. His parents are on the verge of divorce. The only place Rakmen feels kind of feels supported is in a grief support group meeting. He meets one of his teachers and her daughter at one of the group sessions. This leads to Rakmen’s parents sending him on a trip to the Canadian wilderness with his teacher and her daughter. In these surroundings, he is able to canoe, camp and find himself.

The author’s writing is such that the reader is able to feel the emotions of the characters which made the novel exceptionally captivating. Although it is a sad book, the journey of Rakmen’s self-discovery made the book a very moving novel. I give this book a 3.5 – 4 (out of 5) boxes of Kleenex rating. For those who enjoy reading realistic touching fiction, this is a good one!

— Natalie S.